Coal analysis in the facilities of large coal users is generally accomplished by traditional laboratory techniques performed on coal grab samples. Such sampling requires a plurality of manual manipulations, and the analyses are very time consumming.
Some attempts have recently been made to provide on line, real time analyses. For example, automated instruments have been developed using radiation techniques wherein an instrument straddles a coal feeder belt and irradiates the coal with neutrons or gamma radiation. Re-radiation of the elements of the coal is detected and the coal constituents are determined by computer analysis.
While such devices are effective, they are very large and expensive, and since they deal with inherently dangerous materials they are subject to extensive government licensing and safety procedures which add to the total cost of operation.
Because of the foregoing, it has become desirable to develop an on-line, radiation-free, automatic system for analyzing coal samples.